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This is so funny. It is one morning, still quite early, and yet both of them are full of life and energy! It makes me laugh every time I watch it, and the timing is impeccable; as if they have rehearsed it. I love these two!

We spent the Bank Holiday picnicking with our “Newman House” friends in Kensington Gardens. I lived at Newman House for two years while I was doing my nurse training. It’s a residential Catholic chaplaincy for the University of London; it’s also a good place to find your husband! It’s where I first met Eoin and since leaving Newman House nearly three years ago, there have been at least six weddings and two engagements!

We had a lot of fun entertaining Benedict. It was the first time he’s been “let loose” in a big outdoor space and free to explore. I think he would have carried on crawling out of the park if we’d let him – he was pretty excited, much to the amusement of the passers by.

Over the Easter holidays, we visited my Nanna (my Mum’s mum), Granny and Grandfather (my dad’s mum and dad) in Gloucestershire. We’re lucky they live very close to my parents so they get to see Benedict every couple of months or so.

They love what every grandparent loves; seeing how much he’s grown, how clever he is with all the new things he can do – like blowing raspberries and strumming his fingers over his lips while he “brrrs”.

My Grandfather has always put on this very hard exterior, but secretly I think he’s actually quite soft! Benedict will charge across the sitting room floor just to play at his feet, and will start climbing up his legs, with no encouragement from Grandfather, but there’s definitely a cheeky smile that breaks through. When Benedict was first born, Grandfather went into town and bought him a brightly coloured blue and green elephant to dangle from the car seat, and it vibrates when you pull it. My Granny had no idea he’d bought it!

Benedict and Great-Nanna reading a story:

Benedict making himself at home on Great-Nanna:

When it comes to babies, my dad has the patience of a saint. He will pace, quite literally, for hours to get a baby to sleep. So Benedict knows him best as “The Granddad Train” And it never fails…

Granda-pop (Eoin’s dad) loves having silly fun with Benedict. If he’s not pretending to give Benedict alcoholic beverages, he’s dressing him up in oversized trench coats…

At almost 8 months old Benedict has learnt the art of crawling. He only crawls for something worth crawling for though – if its the wind up music box playing “sur le pont d’Avignon,” he’ll crawl as fast as he can to the other side of the room. If its daddy making funny noises and trying to encourage him however, he’ll think about going, do a bit of teasing and move forward a little, and then laugh and turn his attention to something else.

I’ve started to “play dead” with him too. I’ll lie motionless on the other side of the room with my eyes closed, and if I wait patiently enough, I soon hear a small heavy handed “pat, pat, pat” getting closer to me. When he reaches me he puts his hands on my head, and if I’m not fast enough he’ll start pulling my hair. I’ll look up at him, and an inch away from my face he grins from cheek to cheek. He’s just like a little lion cub learning how to play.